BRAINERD, Minn. – When Pro Stock Motorcycle makes it return to Brainerd International Raceway this weekend for this first time since the 2012 season, there may be nobody happier than Jim Underdahl.
The Forest Lake, Minn. native will return to his home NHRA track for the 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, which means plenty of Underdahl’s friends and family will follow. What he hopes to bring them on his Bad Boy Buggies/KYMCO Suzuki is his first NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Pro Stock Motorcycle victory, and Underdahl plans to enjoy every moment of the highly-anticipated weekend in what already has been a breakout season for the 29-year-old second-generation rider.
“Just to be able to go there and race with my family and friends there, it’s huge,” Underdahl said. “Since it got put back on the schedule, everyone has been calling me. Racing has always been a family sport and I’ve been doing it with my dad for a while. My family has been there for me since day one and for them to be able to come out and help, it’s huge. We’re going to have fun and enjoy ourselves. There’s a lot of bike guys up here and I think people are glad to see it back.”
Morgan Lucas (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) were last year’s winners of the pivotal event that will once again be televised on ESPN2. It is the ninth of 16 races in the 2015 Pro Stock Motorcycle season, serving as the penultimate race of the regular season.
Underdahl may be searching for that elusive first professional victory, but he seems to be edging closer in a 2015 season that is shaping up to be his best one yet on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series circuit.
He posted a runner-up finish earlier this season in Englishtown and will head into Brainerd fifth in points off back-to-back semifinal appearances in Denver and Sonoma. After a slow start that included two straight first-round losses to open the season, Underdahl has made a steady climb up the points standings heading into the most important time of the season.
Having already advanced to a final round in Brainerd in 2010, getting that first victory at his home track would mark the most memorable moment of Underdahl’s career.
“I think we’re just a little bit of luck away,” Underdahl said. “We came close in Brainerd a couple years ago and it would be pretty exciting and pretty cool to win in front of my family and friends.”
It would provide another example of the improvement Underdahl and his team, led by crew chief and father Greg Underdahl, have made. Developing a more consistent bike was the mindset everyone had when they built Underdahl’s new Suzuki this past off-season and those strides have been evident.
Once Underdahl ironed out the kinks, he has just one first-round loss over the past six events, and has qualified in the top half of the field at all but one race in 2015. Executing the gameplan has been plenty satisfying for Underdahl, who now hopes to take that success an extra step heading into Brainerd and then the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. Underdahl has only qualified for the Countdown playoffs once, but now has his sights set on a top five finish.
“The consistency we’ve had this season gives our team quite a bit of confidence,” said Underdahl, whose best previous points finish was 10th in 2011. “With the new bike we built this season, it was all about being consistent and that’s what we’ve achieved. We struggled a little bit the first couple of races but once we got past the little issues, everything started to come together for us. We just need to stay consistent and hopefully everything comes together at Indy. Hopefully we can then get a win in the Countdown and finish in the top five.”
To do that, Underdahl knows he must perform well in Brainerd to carry momentum on into the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. He must also get past a talented field that includes current points leader Eddie Krawiec, who won the last Pro Stock Motorcycle race in Brainerd, Hector Arana Jr., reigning world champion Andrew Hines, two-time season winner Karen Stoffer, alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, who beat Underdahl in the final round at Englishtown this season, and two-time world champion Matt Smith.
“I think we’re ready,” Underdahl said. “We’ve gone over the bike, we’ve got a couple fresh motors, and we’ve been on a good roll and just hope to continue that. The big thing is just consistency, going out there and repeating every step the same every time we go down the track. That goes for the rider, the crew chief, the entire team, everything. We’re ready for the challenge.”
In Top Fuel, Lucas earned his first victory of the 2014 season at Brainerd while competing on a limited schedule. He hopes to repeat that feat this year, while his Morgan Lucas Racing teammate, Richie Crampton, has three wins in 2015. Others standouts include points leader and reigning world champion Tony Schumacher, Antron Brown, Doug Kalitta, Spencer Massey, J.R. Todd, Larry Dixon and Shawn Langdon, as well as Brittany Force, Steve Torrence, Clay Millican and Dave Connolly, who are all competing for the final Countdown playoff spots.
In Funny Car, Capps raced to the winner’s circle at Brainerd for his second victory of the 2014 season. Jack Beckman, the 2012 Funny Car world champ, failed to make the Countdown last year but has had quite the turnaround season in his Infinite Hero Dodge Charger R/T, currently sitting second in points with five wins. The rest of the star-studded class includes reigning world champion and points leader Matt Hagan, John Force, Cruz Pedregon, Tommy Johnson Jr., who won in Seattle, Tim Wilkerson, Del Worsham, and Robert Hight and Alexis DeJoria, who both hold a 73-point lead over Courtney Force for the final qualifying spot.
Minnesota native Line raced his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to the Pro Stock victory at Brainerd last year and went on to finish the season second in points behind world champ Erica Enders. His teammate Greg Anderson, also from Minnesota and a three-time BIR winner, has won four of seven final round appearances this season and is the current points leader. A host of stars are looking to take home the Brainerd win, including Allen Johnson, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, Chris McGaha, who won back-to-back races top close the Western Swing, Vincent Nobile, rookie sensation Drew Skillman and two-time season winner Larry Morgan.
The Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals also will feature thrilling side-by-side competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.
As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.
Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Aug. 21, with sessions at 3 and 5:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Sunday, Aug. 22, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23.
To purchase tickets, call 218-824-RACE (7223) or visit www.brainerdraceway.com. For more information about the NHRA visit www.NHRA.com.
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LUCAS OIL NHRA NATIONALS FACT SHEET
WHAT: 34th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, the 17th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.
WHERE: Brainerd International Raceway and Resort, Brainerd, Minn. Track is located a few miles north of the Brainerd area off Highway 371. The track is located on the east side of the highway.
COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 1,200 feet above sea level; Track direction is west to east.
WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Aug. 20-23
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 21 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 3 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 22 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations
MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 1 and 3:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 23 – Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Aug. 22, ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 11 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 23, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):
Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/Transponder 05C
Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/ Transponder 05C
(3800 MHz, vertical; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
2014 EVENT WINNERS: Morgan Lucas, Top Fuel; Ron Capps, Funny Car; Jason Line, Pro Stock.
MOST VICTORIES: John Force, 11, FC; Joe Amato, 6, TF; Kenny Bernstein, 5, FC/TF; Antron Brown, 5, TF/PSM; Ron Capps, 4, FC; Jeg Coughlin, 4, PS;.
TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.722 sec. by Doug Kalitta, Aug. ’14; 328.54 mph by Richie Crampton, Aug. ’14.
Funny Car – 3.998 sec. by Alexis DeJoria, Aug. ’14; 320.89 mph by John Force, Aug. ’14.
Pro Stock – 6.542 sec. by Erica Enders, Aug. ’12; 210.87 mph by Allen Johnson, Aug. ’12.
Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.865 sec. by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’12; 196.82 mph by Andrew Hines, Aug. ’05.
NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel – 3.701 sec. by Antron Brown, Oct. ‘12, Reading, Pa.; 332.51 mph by Larry Dixon, June ’15, Norwalk, Ohio.
Funny Car – 3.921 sec. by Jack Beckman, Aug. ’15, Sonoma, Calif.; 325.06 mph by Courtney Force, May ’15, Topeka, Kan.
Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders, May ‘14, Englishtown N.J.
PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88mph by Hector Arana Jr., April ’15, Charlotte, N.C.
TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (218) 824-RACE (7223). Tickets also are available online at www.brainerdraceway.com.
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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
GLENDORA, Calif. — Point standings (top 10) following the 16th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series –
Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 1,289*; 2. Antron Brown, 1,202*; 3. Larry Dixon, 1,034; 4. Richie Crampton, 969; 5. Doug Kalitta, 944; 6. J.R. Todd, 896; 7. Shawn Langdon, 872; 8. Spencer Massey, 855; 9. Brittany Force, 851; 10. Steve Torrence, 835.
Funny Car: 1. Matt Hagan, 1,177*; 2. Jack Beckman, 1,172*; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., 1,063; 4. John Force, 1,025; 5. Del Worsham, 1,004; 6. Ron Capps, 988; 7. Cruz Pedregon, 872; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 870; 9. (tie) Alexis DeJoria, 819; Robert Hight, 819.
Pro Stock: 1. Greg Anderson, 1,322*; 2. Erica Enders, 1,271*; 3. Chris McGaha, 1,175*; 4. Jason Line, 1,102*; 5. Allen Johnson, 951; 6. Larry Morgan, 906; 7. Shane Gray, 834; 8. Jonathan Gray, 823; 9. Vincent Nobile, 787; 10. Drew Skillman, 779.
Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 702; 2. Hector Arana Jr, 596; 3. Andrew Hines, 546; 4. Karen Stoffer, 468; 5. Jim Underdahl, 459; 6. Jerry Savoie, 429; 7. Hector Arana, 417; 8. Matt Smith, 389; 9. Scotty Pollacheck, 376; 10. Angelle Sampey, 336.
* Secured a berth in Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs.
